Wednesday, July 30, 2014

If it’s late July it is time for some of the hottest weather
of the summer, and is also time for the Edisto Marina Billfish Tournament. All
of Edisto Beach is a winner during the Governor’s Cup week and this is the 26th
year for the tournament. Organizer Becca Smith worked tirelessly before the
event lining up sponsors and signing up the fishing boats that bring so much
fun to the docks. Congratulations to Trick ‘Em (48) for winning the Edisto
Tourney by releasing three blue marlin and one sailfish.

Girls just want to have fun at the Edisto Governor's Cup

Everyone
assembles at the Edisto Marina on Wednesday, with the sportfishing boats
getting assigned their slips, and the boatload of anglers settling in to their
rental beach houses. Edisto Beach mayor Burly Lyons helped to kick off the
afternoon Captain’s Meeting in Big Bay Park, and a blessing of the fleet asked
for calm seas and BIG fish. Despite a frog strangler thunderstorm during the
weigh in on Friday, the fishing weather were just fine.

Blackfin tuna from My Three Sons

The
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources runs the Governor’s Cup
Billfishing Series. A total of five of these events take place during the
summer up and down the S.C. coast and a Series winner is determined using a
points system for billfish releases. Since this tourney was held in Colleton
County the SCDNR Game Wardens on site for license checks and crowd control
included J.P. Jones, Kevin Ryan and Blake Graham. SCDNR Exec. Dir. Alvin Talyor
and Col. Chisolm Frampton were also on hand. SCDNR’s Wally Jenkins, Amy Dukes and Willie LaDue attend each tourney and provide continuity for all of the
Governor’s Cup events.

Day One of fishing on
Thursday saw the Series leading boat named Rascal, go out and release a blue
marlin and a sailfish to take the early lead. Owner Norman Pulliam of
Spartanburg is an SCDNR Board Member and a longtime Governor’s Cup participant.
Co-owner Foster McKissick and the veteran crew on Rascal realized that they
were in a good position, and ends up their points tally held on to earn them the Best Billfish Boat title for the 2014 Governor's Cup Series.

Shark Bite Wahoo for Wes Frierson on Rascal

At the weigh in scales on
Day Two a large 31.4-pound mahi caught by Fred Bergen Jr. aboard Legal Holiday
jumped into the lead, and the first blackfin tuna was weighed in by Voodoo
Child and angler Susan Daly, which tipped the scales at 18.8-pounds. A wahoo did come to the
scales on Day Three and angler Poe Ratteree took home the top spot with his
22.5-pounder caught from the Christy II. Congrats to these meatfish category winners.

The largest crowd of spectators waited to assemble on
Saturday during the weigh in from 5 until 7, and they were not disappointed. A
band played on the deck at the marina, as patrons inside Pressley’s Restaurant
looked down on the docks. It was hot and muggy right through the afternoon in
into the awards ceremony after dark in Big Bay Park. The tide was ebbing, the
sun was setting, and the summer was waning but all was well on that Lowcountry
evening that served to offer a final salute to the fishing fun.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

You can't ignore the culture and lifestyle that goes along with the S.C. Governor's Cup especially when it interacts with the beachy lifestyle of Edisto Island. As the saying goes, if you're lucky enough to be at the beach, then you're lucky enough!! Of course the Edisto Marina is on the back side of the barrier island, so we spend plenty of time On 'Da' Creek - which is ALWAYS the right thing. Here is my photo essay to the friends gathered along this saltwater trail and some of the reasons why we look forward to doing this at Edisto again next year.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

One thing about visiting Edisto Island and Edisto Beach is that there are no hotels on the island. Visitors are all in the same boat when it comes to the need for a rental unit, whether it be a condo or a front row beach house. Fortunately for the public, there are several agencies to choose from, but it was Atwood Vacations that listened to my needs for the Governor's Cup week, where I hoped to mix business and pleasure on this Sea Island in the Lowcountry. My requests included being close to the Edisto marina for work each day of the event Wednesday thru Saturday, and to have access to a dock so that I might try my luck at fishing and crabbing during the day with my family. They were able to pinpoint a rental unit that fit my needs from one of their many rental units on Edisto, and we ended up being second row from the beach as well with a beach access trail almost across the street. When considering which agency to choose on Edisto you can take a look at things like longevity, and though Atwood Vacations is under new ownership for the past three years, they are celebrating their 60th anniversary in 2014. Furthermore, when it comes to the customer service issues that will arise concerning rental units and scorching hot summer weather, I can report that Atwood Vacations performs well in this department, with plenty of personal communication from the owners and their service contractors. Everyone's time is limited when visiting the beach, and we value our freedom just a bit more when trying to squeeze in one more walk along the pristine sand dunes while gazing out at the boats in St. Helena Sound. In addition to service, the Explore Edisto magazine that each customer is given upon arrival highlights which businesses on the island to reach out to when renting bikes or going to a restaurant. Little things like this local information can make family decisions about what activity to do next a little smoother, especially when sunburned skin and wear and tear from the heat are in play, so Thanks Atwood!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

It’s time for the 26th edition of the Edisto Marina
Governor’s Cup Billfishing Tournament this weekend, July 23 – 26. This is the
fifth and final event in a series of tournaments that will determine the Best
Billfish Boat in 2014 in the S.C. Governor’s Cup competition. Edisto Tourney
Director Becca Jones invites all Colletonians to come down to the marina for
the afternoon weigh-ins and family fun.

“Wednesday
night is the Captain’s Meeting at Big Bay Park that kicks off the festivities,”
said Jones. “We will have a blessing of the fleet and the offshore fishing
boats will chose two days to fish either Thursday, Friday or Saturday. The
forecast for offshore fishing conditions is looking good, despite the chance
for summer showers back inland. The weigh-ins from 5 – 8 each day are a free to
the public, and we expect big crowds.”

“Each
night following the weigh-in a catered supper will be available for a $20
ticket,” said Jones. The food is provided by Lowcountry Eats catering run by
Buist Rivers and Aris Newton and this is the sixth year they have been
providing fine southern cuisine for Edisto patrons. The main course menu for
individual nights of the week will be shrimp and grits, smoked chicken, friend
chicken, and barbecue. Several vendors will be set up in the park to promote
Edisto Island and to sell artwork and coastal living items.

“Of
course the popular Edisto Marina Tournament T-shirts will be on sale at the
Ships Store too,” said Jones. “Elliott Smith with Fish-Smith Company designs a
fresh print for us each year and folks love them as a souvenir from their
Edisto visit.” Another eating option is Pressley’s Restaurant at the Marina
which is entering its second year of business. Live music on the deck is
another draw to the evening activities at Edisto Marina., and for a full
schedule visit www.EdistoMarinaSC.com.

Heading
into the 2014 Edisto Tourney we know that the sportfisher named Rascal is in
the overall series lead after the first four events. Owner Norman Pulliam of
Greenville is also on the Board of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources,
and his boat stays up at Georgetown Marina. Rascal also owns the S.C. state
record for a blue marlin from back in 2005.

Wallace Jenkins is the Program
Coordination for the SCDNR Governor’s Cup and he told me that Rascal has been
the most consistent boat in 2014. They have clinched third place in two
individual tournaments thus far and are looking to increase their advantage
while at Edisto. No word yet if Governor Nikki Haley intends to visit the
tournament this yea, she came to visit the Rascal crew in 2011, but
people-watching is always part of the fun of being down at the docks.

Inshore: Scott Hammond at Haddrell's Point West says 'Go walk the dog!' No seriously, get a few super spook jr topwater plugs and go walk the dog early in the morning along shell rakes and creek mouths for some explosive action from trout, ladyfish, bluefish, and redfish. The topwater bite has been good the past couple of weeks, and so has the flounder bite. Live minnows or a jerkshad fished near rock piles, creek mouths, as well as in sandy coves have been producing solid numbers of flounder and some good sized flatties as well. Redfish continue to take cut mullet, live shrimp, and Zman Ultra ShrimpZ fished under docks at low tide, or along the grass edges and shell rakes at higher water. Spanish mackerel are still schooling up tight along the tideline just off the front beaches, and the bonnethead sharks are around in big numbers willing and ready to take cut mullet and half of a blue crab. For the latest seminar information visit the Internet at Haddrell's Point.

Offshore: Dredge season is here, and Scott reports the sailfish are too. Yep now is time to put the dredges in the water and tease up some great sailfish action. Reports of 2, 4 and 5 sails a day have not been uncommon with many more “shots” being reported. A few dolphin are still being found here and there, plus some wahoo are still hanging around in the warm water along the ledge. The recreational season for Red Snapper opened last weekend, is open this weekend, and is also open to the recreational angler Friday 7/25 and Saturday 7/26. Anglers bottom fishing the Red snapper season last weekend all found good numbers of snapper to fill their one per person limit, but more incredibly was the size of some of these snapper. Red snapper weighing twenty pounds were common, with a handful even larger than that. Take advantage while the season is open. For more from 2013 Red Snapper season click here.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

My frist day of fly fishing a private pond for rainbow trout in Western North Carolina was aided by guide Jack Mincey who shared his Tips for Pond Trout with me. The next day I returned to the trout pond with my trusty Orvis Fy Rod and a plan to catch some fish on my own. At first the fish did not seem to be biting, so I practiced my casting knowing that the two-acre pond had plenty of area to cover. When I did see a trout rise to eat a bug off the water's surface it was in a cove that I could reach, while casting from a dock.

Dropper rig fly hook in my thumb - OUCH.

A couple of strips of my line and I was hooked up solid, but with what size trout? The day before I had seen that these pond trout came in two shapes, large and over-sized. When my fish made a run to the far end of the pond, burning drag and my hand as the fly line initially peeled, I soon knew that I was tied into one of the over-sized variety. What a Fight! Not only did this rainbow trout have 'shoulders' but he had room to operate, and I used my lifetime of angling knowledge to play the fish, never giving in to the trout's plan to spoil the fun and break off my fishing line.

Fighting a Rainbow Trout with 'shoulders'

After a rod-bending experience, I stepped off the dock and into the water's edge to try and land the fish, even though I did not have a net. I surfed the fish up near the bank and tried to get a grip on the 23-inch stout rainbow, being mindful of the hook in its upper jaw. As I lifted up the fish, the slimy and squirmy trout made another play for freedom and slipped out of my hands, causing a second small hook rigged on a dropper to get lodged into my thumb. OUCH.

First attempt to handle the BIG rainbow started off well

My first instinct was to cut the line between the trout and the hook - which stops the fish from yanking the hook, and thus causing more pain. So after a lifetime of saltwater angling, this is the first time that I had a fish hook enter my body. I still have a trophy rainbow trout at my feet and hooked on my fly line that I surely must release in good condition. With the hook in my thumb I found I was able to hold and lift the fish by simply keeping it held out in a prone position. We made a photo, removed the hook with forceps, released the trout, and then had a seat on the dock to take a deep breath.

In a remote location, the only thing to do was to try and remove the hook using forceps for the quickest possible fix. Luckily, the hook was small and the barb had not come thru the skin. Using forceps, I grabbed the hook shank and pushed downwards and backwards, and found out that this technique makes human skin stretch up forming what looks like a tent of skin. I stopped that attempt, took another breath, wiped away some of the blood. I took another grip on the shank and tried the same procedure and this time the hook backed out of my hand, presumably through a hole that I had just stretched just enough to release the hook. While the hurt finger did finish my fishing plans for the day, I was grateful for the fish fight, and for another rich experience, full of emotions, along my outdoors trail.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

There isn't much more essential gear for summer style than a pair of polarized sunglasses. Coastal life is just that much more fun when one isn't fighting the glare off the water, or perhaps the seabreeze and blowing sand while on the beach.

Anglers will tell you that Costas are valuable all year long for each and every trip on the water, and professional anglers will carry multiple pairs so that they can change out lens colorations for changing light conditions.

Of course everyone has their favorite pair of frames, and that is largely depends on how it fits individuals across the eyes and on the head. I have worn out Costa Fathom frames in the past, but a slight design change prompted me to try a similar frame, the Costa Harpoon. I have the tortoise shell frames with grey 580G lenses, and they fit me snug over the yes without touching my skin.

These are not large wrap around frames, rather they are a good middle ground for minimizing light intrusion, yet allowing a peripheral field of vision. These shades have a stainless steel spring hinge on the arms and a rubber patch at the end of the arms for better grip when behind the ears.

New for Costa is the option to get reading glasses inserts into some of their frames, and this includes the Harpoon reader lenses. It does take some getting used too, looking through these Reader Glasses, but for those with aging eyes these lenses can greatly assist re-rigging endeavors. Because no one wants to fumble around with small knots when there are fish to be caught!

Friday, July 18, 2014

What’s the first thing that you grab for when loading up the
boat to go fishing? Fishing Rods are where the proverbial rubber meets the road
for anglers. Some might say we are spoiled rotten with the variety of rod makers, and the
array of rod lengths and strengths available, but the complete angler wouldn’t have
it any other way.

Several inshore rods are highlighted in the article

Anglers
become used to a certain action rod for inshore casting, and its true that the
reel and the fishing line play a role, but it’s the rod that gets a Grip and a
Rip each time. Rod action has value when fighting a fish too, and if you have
too much whip at the tip, then a stout fish might win the battle. And too stiff
a tip does nothing for the fun of a fight when smaller fish are in play.

Summer issue cover artwork

One
family in the rod making business runs Biscayne Rod in Miami. Owner Eddie
Carman shares that his grandfather Carl started the operation in 1948. “This is
where I’ve worked my whole life.” Said Carman. “We like our rods to be tough,
so our 80-percent graphite blank is both light and rigid. Our Billy Baroo rods
are actually named after an old customer who always used our rods and then gave
us a report about their toughness, and they come in a true mono class rating
from 4 to 20 pounds.”

Another
family is making rods in the Midwest, and the Schluter brothers made some noise
by winning the 2013 ICAST superlative of best saltwater rod for the
Legendxtreme Inshore rod by St. Croix. These Made in the USA blanks are very
light and they come with a new Extreme Skin rod grip that becomes slightly
tacky when wet, which can help when fish slime is present. Their reputation as
a high-performance rod maker is touted by their logo stating Best Rods On
Earth.

A
little further West is outfitter Wright and McGill with their 88-year history
in the sport fishing industry. Looking to partner with a professional
fisherman, they chose Blair Wiggins from Addictive Fishing TV to help design
the Flats Blue saltwater rod series. “My blue camo rods will spook less fish,”
said Capt. Wiggins. “The benefit of a light rod like this one is that you can
cast artificial lures with it all day and not get fatigued.”

Thursday, July 17, 2014

The Hinckley Yacht company was founded in 1928 in Maine, and
they still produce everyone of their luxury sailing yachts and jet-powered
picnic boats in Trenton. With the extended boating season in the Southeast, a
significant portion of the fleet will migrate to southern ports, and Hinckley
Yachts has a full-service boatyard available in Savannah, Georgia.

The
General Manager for Hinckley Yachts in Savannah is Dustin A. Hartley, and the
boat yard is accessible via the ICW or Wassaw Sound and lies four miles from
Historic Savannah. “We offer a full range of yacht services for Hinckley owners
and for all other boats too,” said Hartley. “We utilize two travel lifts, one
is a 35-ton lift and one is a 50-ton lift, and we can handle anything up to
65-feet in length.”

Mr. Randolph J. Friedman of
Mount Pleasant, S.C. lives on a peninsula known as Haddrell’s Point which overlooks Charleston Harbor. He purchased the boat in 2004 and named it On The Rocks.

“I had always wanted a Hinckley Yacht of my own, since they
carry such a distinction for quality and for beauty,” said Friedman. “When
making my purchase I told Hinckley CEO Jim McManus that I was unique in that my
Picnic boat would stay in full view from my home.”

Picnic Boat named Seaweed from Kiawah Island

“For starters, the Picnic boat
really compliments my home, and its beauty is important to me,” said Friedman.
“The lines on a Hinckley are classic and subjective, which is no surprise since
the boat is designed to connect with an owner’s sense of on-the-water
aesthetics. In fact, that same beauty motivates me to keep my boat maintained
as best I can.”

“We have six-foot tides twice
daily, and since the jetdrive only draws two feet of water we have more
clearance at low tide,” said Friedman. “I also think it has a shorter beam than
other 36-footers and we love spending time aboard On The Rocks.” The same
sentiment among others is why Hinckley owners are very loyal, and often become
repeat customers.

To learn more about the composite
hull construction materials used for modern hulls, and to view a full selection
of sailboats and jetboats, then visit their website at www.HinckleyYachts.com. Informative
videos share the experience from Hinckley boat owner gatherings, and one can
purchase the coffee table book titled Hinckley Boats: An American Icon.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

The summer lifestyle in the Lowcountry involves the beach
and saltwater at times, and dust and heat at others, and a LifeProof case can
offer protection from a range of smartphone doomsday scenarios.

Dip net, hackey sack, Lifeproof case and dry box;Getting ready for a day at the beach

In 2014 I choose to add a LifeProof Fre waterproof case to go with my iphone. After multiple trips to the beach, splashing around in
fishing boats and sometimes just plain getting caught in summer pop-up
rainshowers, I can relay that the waterproof case adds a measure of confidence
for the outdoorsman who is on the go.

The Otterbox dry box is good for car keys, wallets, etc.

These
LifeProof cases fit a multitude of cell phone styles too, like the popular
Samsung Galaxy phones. The iphone case is very slim in profile, lightweight and
its easy to install. A high risk factor for a smartphone is being dropped,
causing the glass face to shatter, but the LifeProof case absorbs most drops
and preserves the life of the phone.

LifeProof Fre case adds freedom to your day

When it comes to LifeProof accessories, I like is their suction cup car mount, which
holds the smartphone in place for maximum hands free use. I have found that the
battery life new phones is much longer than in the past, and that even
seldom use of a car charger can suffice to keep it fully charged, and the
suction cup holder makes the car charging process very easy.

Are
there other worthy smartphone cases on the market? You bet. Did you know that
the popular OtterBox brand is actually part of the same company as LifeProof,
which might explain their commitment to keeping smartphones dry and functional
more than most.

The Otterbox Pursuit dry box is a good option for safeguarding gear
like key fobs, wallets, cell phones with no case and cleaning cloths for sunglasses.
I picked out a size 40 dry box in clear and put it on the beach and watched
while a wave came up to wet it, but the rubber o-ring and locking mechanism
ensured that the contents stayed dry.

A LifeProof case makes
sense for me, though it may not for everyone, but the difference may be picking
up your cell phone after a day at the beach and instead of a ringtone you hear
that familiar monotone that comes from placing a conk shell to your ear. Can you
hear me now?

Monday, July 14, 2014

Once one becomes immersed in the natural surroundings of the
Lowcountry, sometimes special wildlife sightings are revealed. There are many
creeks and waterways where sightings of the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin are common,
swimming along and breathing air from its blowhole. While it is much more rare
to witness a dolphin strand feeding in just inches of water in order to eat
fish, one drama in the highly evolved food chain of the saltwater estuary.

The
best way to get into position to watch for strand feeding behavior is to get on
the water via boat, canoe or kayak. Surrounded by acres of spartina marsh
grass, which is the nursery grounds for young fish and crustaceans, it becomes
clear why these are some of the most productive fishing grounds for dolphins.

Dolphin in shallow water looking for a meal

Some
spots on land afford views of tidal creeks where dolphins swim, and visitors
can blend in to the maritime forest of pine trees, live oaks and cedar trees
while keeping a sharp eye out. Edisto Beach State Park by the Indian Shell
Mound offers one such vantage point and Botany Bay WMA overlooks several likely
locations on the backside of that barrier island. No doubt there are numerous
areas on Edisto Island that offer views of the water, and locating them all can
just be part of the outdoor fun.

Some
say it’s the gentle slopes found along this part of coastal South Carolina that
allows the dolphins to practice strand feeding. The surface of the water can
appear serene, but unseen by the human eye the dolphin are rounding up baitfish
below. Once they have them corralled they push them towards a mud bank and
literally chase them out of the water. Whoosh! The bait will exit the water to
try and escape, but the dolphisn have learned that their prey will not escape.

To read the entire feature article click on Explore Edisto and then click yellow bookmark.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Spanish Mackerel is a species that seems to be surging in
both numbers and size during July. Locating Spanish mackerel, which almost
always show up in schools, is the first part of the challenge. Whether fishing
the surf along Edisto beach, or when using a boat, scouting and recent history
will help to reveal their favorite haunts.

Spanish
Mackerel can be easy to spot sometimes as they have a tendency to jump
completely out of the water. They jump in a high arcing display that just
screams for the angler to accept their challenge and try to catch one. Of course,
in fishing you can go from seeing Spanish jump at a frantic pace to staring at
calm waters in the blink of an eye.

The
challenge of reeling in one of these fish cannot be accepted unless you figure
out what they are biting. Spanish are notorious for being finicky and will not
stray too far from the natural bait they are currently feasting on. These
natural baits range from glass minnows, to finger mullet and menhaden. Try
offering a bit of menhaden to a school of Spanish that have herded a thousand glass
minnows into a ball, and you will learn the meaning of frustration.

The daily limit for Spanish
mackerel in South Carolina is 15 fish per day and there is a 12-inch minimum
length. These somewhat oily fish are thin-framed, very easy to clean and can be
cooked on the grill. I have spent many July afternoons after chasing forked tails, coming to grips with fresh sun-kissed redness, while grilling a few
Spanish with some fishing friends.

Spanish have shredded more than a
few landing nets while being scooped out of the ocean so take care. A pair of
fishing pliers is always a good idea when de-hooking these fish, and a rag
proves useful as well since these fish can bleed quite a bit while removing the
hook. Their hearty demeanor usually ensures that they are a good candidate for
catch and release fishing.

Don’t
forget that you can increase the challenge of angling for Spanish mackerel by
putting up the spinning tackle and pulling out the fly rod. Remember, Spanish
mackerel don’t simply break the surface, they jump out of the water with grace.
They almost always show up in their usual haunts by July 4 and spend the entire
month chasing bait, which makes for loads of light-tackle fishing fun!